Control unit, vehicular battery pack and relative assembly method

Abstract

Control unit for a vehicle battery pack comprising at least one module provided with a plurality of electrochemical cells carried on board a support structure; the control unit comprising a planar support substrate made of an at least partially insulating material; a plurality of sensor elements; wherein the sensors elements are arranged, on the support substrate, in two rows so as to be each positioned, once the unit is installed on board the vehicle battery pack, in the area of a respective terminal pole of each electrochemical cell; wherein the sensor elements comprise at least one voltage sensing device, which comprises at least two conductor and elastically deformable contact element, which are configured to be elastically compressed between the planar support substrate and the respective terminal pole.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A control unit ( 13 ) for a vehicular battery pack ( 3 ) comprising at least one module ( 12 ) provided with a plurality of electrochemical (C, C′, C″) cells supported by a support structure ( 15 ) of the vehicular battery pack ( 3 ), the control unit ( 13 ) being installable on board the support structure ( 15 ) of the battery pack and comprising:
 a planar support substrate ( 37 ) made of an at least partially insulating material; 
 a plurality of sensor elements ( 14 ) configured to control the operating parameters of the electrochemical cells (C, C′, C″) of the module ( 12 ); 
 wherein at least part of the sensor elements ( 14 ) are arranged, on an upper face of the planar support substrate ( 37 ) of support, in two single rows so as to be positioned, each, once the unit is installed on board the vehicular battery pack ( 3 ), at a respective terminal pole (TT′, TT″) of each electrochemical cell; 
 wherein the sensor elements ( 14 ) comprise at least one voltage sensing device, which comprises at least two elastically conductive and deformable contact elements ( 39 ) arranged on a lower face of the planar support substrate ( 37 ) opposite the upper face, which is configured to be, in use, elastically compressed between the lower face of the planar support substrate ( 37 ) and the respective terminal pole (TT′, TT″), contacting the same at at least one point; and 
 wherein each of the plurality of sensor elements ( 14 ) further comprise a temperature sensor (TS) configured to detect a temperature at a respective terminal pole (TT′, TT″), each respective temperature sensor positioned on the lower face of the planar support substrate ( 37 ) between two deformable contact elements ( 39 ), the temperature sensor (TS) comprising an infrared sensor configured to emit a respective infrared light beam ( 41 ), the respective two deformable contact elements ( 39 ) being deformed to diverge from the planar support substrate ( 37 ) in opposite directions of the infrared light beam ( 41 ). 
 
     
     
       2. The control unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the contacting elements ( 39 ) are V-shaped conformed by two contiguous segments, of which a first segment is parallel and fixed to the planar substrate ( 37 ), while a second segment diverges from the planar substrate ( 37 ) itself. 
     
     
       3. The control unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the temperature sensor (TS) further comprises a wired thermistor of the NTC type. 
     
     
       4. The control unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the temperature sensor (TS) further comprises a thermistor of the NTC SMD type with a thermal gap, configured to detect thermal conduction of the respective pole. 
     
     
       5. The control unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the temperature sensor (TS) is configured to face the respective pole (TT′, TT″), so as to point the respective infrared light beam ( 41 ) at it to measure its temperature. 
     
     
       6. A vehicular battery pack ( 3 ) comprising:
 a support structure ( 15 ) comprising in turn at least two elongated and facing perimeter members ( 16 ,  18 ) defining between them a box portion (BP); 
 one or more bulkheads ( 17 ) arranged to subdivide the box portion (BP) by delimiting at least two housings, wherein the one or more bulkheads ( 17 ) are arranged transversely to the two facing perimeter elements ( 16 ,  18 ); 
 a plurality of planar electrochemical cells (C, C′, C″), electrically connected and parallel to each other as well as to the one or more bulkheads ( 17 ) and subdivided into at least two modules ( 12 ); and 
 at least one control unit ( 13 ) according to  claim 1 . 
 
     
     
       7. The vehicular battery pack ( 3 ) according to  claim 6 , wherein the at least two modules ( 12 ) comprise, each, at least two insertion plates ( 32 ) arranged at the ends of each module ( 12 ), parallel to the one or more bulkheads ( 17 ), and configured to facilitate insertion of each module ( 12 ) in compression within the corresponding housing, such that the compression remains even after the insertion. 
     
     
       8. The vehicular battery pack ( 3 ) according to  claim 6 , wherein each insertion plate is in contact with a respective bulkhead, and wherein the coefficient of static sliding friction between each plate and the respective bulkhead is less than 0.3; the insertion plates ( 32 ) being configured also to adjust the compression within of the housing, compensating for any imperfections of the plurality of cells (C, C′, C″); the plates ( 32 ) of insertion comprising mainly polytetrafluoroethylene. 
     
     
       9. The vehicular battery pack ( 3 ) according to  claim 6 , comprising a plurality of dissipating elements, arranged between the cells (C, C′, C″) and configured to transfer heat to two opposite lateral surfaces of the (BP) box portion wherein each dissipating element ( 20 ) comprises two opposite projecting portions, in particular parallel portions, which, together with those of the other dissipating elements, define the two opposite lateral surfaces. 
     
     
       10. The vehicular battery pack ( 3 ) according to  claim 9  and comprising two one cooling panels ( 11 ), arranged, respectively, at the two lateral surfaces (LS) and configured to be fixed to the support structure ( 15 ) so as to dissipate the heat transmitted by the dissipating elements; wherein the plates are mounted to the support structure ( 15 ), in particular to the perimeter elements ( 16 ,  18 ), so as to hermetically seal the two lateral surfaces. 
     
     
       11. The vehicular battery pack ( 3 ) according to  claim 6 , and comprising an upper opening, hermetically closed by a cover element ( 9 ), the battery pack ( 3 ) further comprising at least one removable busbar (BB), wherein the busbar (BB) is the first removable element once the cover element ( 9 ) has been removed. 
     
     
       12. The vehicular battery pack ( 3 ) according to  claim 11 , and comprising a unit according to  claim 1  for each module ( 12 ); wherein said units are arranged between the respective module ( 12 ) and the cover element ( 9 ); in particular between the respective module ( 12 ) and the busbar (BB). 
     
     
       13. A road vehicle ( 1 ) comprising a battery pack ( 3 ) according to  claim 1 ; the battery pack ( 3 ) arranged transversely to a longitudinal direction of the vehicle ( 1 ); the battery pack ( 3 ) being mounted to a vehicular frame ( 2 ) posteriorly to a vehicular passenger compartment ( 5 ). 
     
     
       14. An assembly method for a battery pack ( 3 ) comprising the steps of:
 providing a support structure ( 15 ) comprising in turn at least two elongate and facing perimeter members ( 16 ,  18 ) defining between them a box portion (BP); and one or more bulkheads ( 17 ) arranged to subdivide the (BP) box portion by delimiting at least one housing, wherein the one or more bulkheads ( 17 ) are arranged transversely to the two facing perimeter members ( 16 ,  18 ); 
 compressing at least one module ( 12 ) comprising a plurality of planar electrochemical cells (C, C′, C″), electrically connected and parallel to each other as well as to the one or more bulkheads ( 17 ), wherein compression occurs along a direction transverse to the planar cells (C, C′, C″); 
 inserting the module ( 12 ) in compression inside the relevant housing by applying an insertion force (IF) in a direction transverse to the direction of compression; wherein insertion is accomplished with the aid of two insertion plates ( 32 ) arranged at the ends of the module ( 12 ) in compression, parallel to the one or more bulkheads ( 17 ), wherein the insertion plates ( 32 ) facilitate insertion of the module ( 12 ) in compression inside the relevant housing, so that compression remains even after insertion; 
 installing a control unit ( 13 ) according to  claim 1  so that each sensor element is at a respective pole and so that the at least two conductive and elastically deformable contact elements ( 39 ) are elastically compressed between the planar support substrate ( 37 ) and the respective pole (TT′, TT″) end, contacting the same at two different points.